April 26: "Issue A Passport To Ferdinand Smith Of The People’s Freedom Movement

1950:The House of Representatives approves the Mid-Clarendon (Irrigation Area) Order, 1950, as proposed in a message from the governor. Action is taken on the motion of the minister for agriculture who said that the message had been circularised two weeks ago, and was divided into two parts through boundaries. Members all knew the need for irrigation in Clarendon and St Elizabeth.

1955: In lovely weather and on a good wicket at Bourda, the Australian cricket visitors shoot out the West Indies before tea for 182 runs and at stumps, score 83 for one, placing themselves 99 runs behind, with nine wickets in hand. It is actually the opening day of the third Test match. A pitiable and spineless
batting display by the West Indies was the reason for their sensational collapse, and only a sparkling knock of 81 by Everton Weekes lifted the West Indies score from ruins and gave it a semblance of respectability.

1956:Dr J.D.F. Murray, land valuation expert of Australia, flies in by Avianca airliner from New York to advise the Jamaica government in connection with the Government’s policy of introducing a system of taxation based on the unimproved value of land. He will be here for two months and will be staying at the Mona hotel.

1959:A ‘liner’ bus which runs between Kingston and Linstead, crashes into the Empire Store at the corner of Half-Way Tree and Retirement roads. Seventeen persons in the bus have been hospitalised as a result of the accident, two of which were reported to be in critical condition. It is reported that the bus, going towards Cross Roads, was over-taking a car. The driver of the bus, Harold Sinclair of 21A Baker Street, was arrested by Constable O. Reid of the Cross Roads police, and charged with dangerous, careless and reckless driving.

1961: The Government has decided to issue a passport to Ferdinand Smith of the People’s Freedom Movement, to travel to Czechoslovakia for health reasons. Premier Norman Manley made this announcement in the House of Representatives. Friends of Smith have been pressing the Government to issue a passport to him on humanitarian grounds and as the right of citizens.

1965:Minister of Home Affairs Roy McNeill is inviting the political parties to overlook the work of the Chief Electoral Office in the compilation of new electoral lists under the new system. In a letter sent to the two party headquarters, McNeill announces that he had decided that it would be helpful before the new lists were finally published that interested persons should have the preliminary lists circulated among them.